About Us

Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare (March 13, 1914 - November
26, 1943) was a naval aviator of the United States Navy who on February 20, 1942 became the U.S. Navy's first
flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Butch O'Hare's final action took place on the night of
November 26, 1943, while he was leading the U.S. Navy's first-ever nighttime fighter attack launched from an
aircraft carrier. During this encounter with a group of Japanese torpedo bombers, O'Hare's F6F Hellcat was shot
down; his aircraft was never found. In 1945, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) was named in his honor.

A few years later, O'Hare was honored when Colonel Robert R. McCormick, publisher of the
Chicago Tribune, suggested a name change of Chicago's Orchard Depot Airport as tribute to Butch O'Hare. On
September 19, 1949, the Chicago, Illinois airport was renamed O'Hare International Airport. The airport displays a
Grumman F4F-3 museum aircraft replicating the one flown by Butch O'Hare during his Medal of Honor flight. The
Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat on display was recovered virtually intact from the bottom of Lake Michigan, where it sank
after a training accident in 1943 when it went off the training aircraft carrier USS Wolverine (IX-64). The Air
Classics Museum restored the aircraft in 2001 to look like the exact one that O'Hare flew. The restored Wildcat is
exhibited in Terminal Two at the west end of the ticketing lobby to honor O'Hare International Airport's namesake.

The Butch O'Hare Chicago Chapter of the International Plastic Modelers Society (IPMS)
was inspired by the accomplishments and heroism of Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare. The original members of the
organization therefore decided to take his name in memorial. Our membership consists of a diversity of ages,
professions and backgrounds. We welcome all those who have any level of interest or skill in modeling to explore
our web site and visit us at our monthly meeting. The meeting is held the second Friday of each month at 7:30 pm
at